• Season the bison shanks with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the shanks on all sides until they’re browned, then transfer to the crockpot.
• In the same skillet, add a little more oil if needed. Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
• Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any brown bits. Add the tomato paste and stir into the wine. Let the wine mixture simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce slightly. Pour this mixture into the crockpot.
• Add the diced tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves, to the crockpot. Stir everything gently to combine.
• Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.

Gremolata

• Toward the end of the cooking time, prepare the gremolata. Wash & dry 1/2 a bunch of flat-leaf Italian parsley. Finely chop the leaves (not stems) and add to a bowl.
• Using a microplane, grate the garlic cloves into the bowl of parsley, then use it to zest the lemon into the bowl.
• If you prefer a dryer gremolata, you can add a pinch of salt, stir together, and serve as is. If you want it more like a chimichurri sauce, slice the lemon and squeeze 1-2 tsp of juice into the bowl if desired. Then add the same amount in olive oil, followed by a pinch of salt, and mix together.